Spreckels. That name is all over San Diego’s biggest landmarks — a nod to John D. Spreckels, the sugar magnate and businessman who helped develop our city into a thriving commercial hub.
But who was John D. Spreckels? Let’s delve into another local history lesson, including a few places where you can see and feel the Spreckels legacy.
Businessman John D. Spreckels left a legacy for the books in San Diego.
Photo via Schumacher Portraits, Los Angeles, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
📰 Fast facts
- Born in Charleston, South Carolina, on Aug. 16, 1853, Spreckels worked for his father, Claus, who ran a successful sugar business. By 1880, Spreckels was a wealthy entrepreneur in his own right.
- He first visited San Diego in 1887 on his yacht to stock up on supplies and was drawn in by the town’s short-lived real estate boom.
- In 1890, he became the owner of Hotel del Coronado.
- He bought the San Diego street railway system in 1892, upgrading it from horsepower to electricity.
- He bought the “San Diego Union” newspaper in 1890, then the “Tribune” in 1901.
- He permanently moved to San Diego in 1906 and into his mansion in Coronado in 1908.
- He also owned the San Diego-Coronado Ferry System, San Diego & Arizona Railway, and Belmont Park.
- He built downtown’s Union Building in 1908 and opened the Spreckels Theatre in 1912.
- In 1914, Spreckels and his brother, Adolph B. Spreckels, donated the Spreckels Organ to the City of San Diego for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition at Balboa Park.
- Per the San Diego History Center, Spreckels at one time “paid 10% of all property taxes in San Diego County.”
- Spreckels died on June 7, 1926, as “the wealthiest man in San Diego.”
🌇 A legacy lives in the landmarks
Spreckels Organ Pavilion + Spreckels Organ Society | Balboa Park
In the heart of Balboa Park, the Spreckels Organ Pavilion is a gathering space for free concerts on Sundays (part of the Deed of Gift of the Spreckels brothers) and big city events like December Nights.
Featuring 5,000+ pipes, the Spreckels Organ is the largest open-air musical instrument in the world. To the right of the stage, you’ll find a dedication plaque featuring the names of the Spreckels brothers.
Spreckels Theatre | Downtown San Diego
Built on Broadway by architect Harrison Albright, the Spreckels Theatre was touted as the “first modern commercial playhouse west of the Mississippi.” It opened on Aug. 23, 1912, and was revered for its acoustics, beauty, and stage design — with its initial 1,915 seats meant to coincide with the year of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition.
The space began as a Vaudeville Opera house, then a movie house, and finally evolved into a live performance venue. The Spreckels Theatre building was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in May 1975.
Fun fact: Conan O’Brien hosted his late-night talk show from the venue during San Diego Comic-Con International from 2015 to 2018.
An aerial view of Belmont Park in 1927.
Photo via Harry (Jimmy) Erickson + San Diego City Clerk Archives
Belmont Park | Mission Beach
Built by Spreckels in 1925 as the Mission Beach Entertainment Center, the businessman thought the beachfront attraction would spur real estate sales and promote his electric railway. The star attraction was the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, which still operates today and will turn 98 years old on the Fourth of July.
Hotel del Coronado | Coronado
During an economic downturn, Spreckels fell in love with The Del (ahem, we can see why) and gave generous loans to the hotel’s founders to keep the resort alive. In 1890, ownership was transferred to Spreckels, who remained the owner of the landmark until his death in 1926. The Del stayed in the Spreckels family until 1948.
Spreckels’ mansion in Coronado in 1930; today, the building is home to the Glorietta Bay Inn.
Photo via Harry (Jimmy) Erickson + San Diego City Clerk Archives
Glorietta Bay Inn | Coronado
Built by architect Harrison Albright from 1906-1908, this was the mansion where Spreckels and his family lived when they moved to San Diego. The home cost $35,000 to build and featured six bedrooms, three bathrooms, a parlor, a library, a brass cage elevator, and many other bells and whistles.
The mansion moved through several owners and today, it is home to the boutique hotel, Glorietta Bay Inn. The building has been renovated, but maintains many of its charms from the Spreckels era.
Coronado’s Glorietta Bay Inn.
Photo via @gloriettabayinn
Spreckels Park | Coronado
Located on Orange Avenue in the heart of Coronado Island, you know you’ve arrived when you see the gazebo, which serves as a stage for community concerts during the summer and other special events.
📩 Of course, these are just a few of the Spreckels sites around San Diego. If we missed your favorite, drop us a line.
